Citation

Engkvist IL. Safety Sci. 2004; 42(3): 221-235.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2004, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

A prospective dynamic-population-based study was conducted to investigate factors involved in the accident process preceding over-exertion back injuries among nursing personnel. All reported occupational over-exertion back injuries due to accidents among nurses in hospitals included in one network in Melbourne during 13 months were investigated. The assumption was that several factors interact in the accident process causing a back injury, and therefore detailed information was obtained for each injury by interviews with the injured person. Risks in the physical environment were identified using an ergonomic checklist. During the study period 127 nurses who had reported accidents leading to over-exertion back injury were interviewed. Cluster analysis yielded five well-defined clusters and their pattern of contributing factors for the accident process. The most frequent over-exertion back injury occurred during patient transfer in the bed or to/from the bed. Transfer devices were rarely used, most often due to lack of devices. Risks in the environment, most often lack of space, and/or lack of transfer devices often compelled the nurse to work in an awkward position. The nurse often felt rushed/stressed. The clusters showed the complexity of these kinds of accidents, and indicated that the measures for prevention must be of different kinds and at several different levels in the organization.